Apparatus, systems, and methods to support service calls

ABSTRACT

In an embodiment, an apparatus, method, and/or system support a service request made by a computer user in an Internet café or similar electronic service environment. A user may operate a café-provided user terminal in a multi-terminal network controlled by a café service console. The user may operate a switch on the terminal to transmit a service request to the service console. A visible and/or audible indication may be provided to the user, via a suitable indicator on the terminal, regarding the status of the user&#39;s service request. The user&#39;s service request may cause service-related information to be displayed on a second display of the user terminal for selection by the user. The user may speak with a service administrator using a voice over Internet protocol module built into the terminal. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a U.S. National Stage Filing under 35 U.S.C. 371from International Patent Application No. PCT/CN2005/000925, filed onJun. 25, 2005, and published in English as WO 2007/000072 A1 on Jan. 4,2007, which is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments of the inventive subject matter relate in general to networkapparatus, systems, and methods and, in particular, to services in anInternet café, training center, office network, or like environment.

BACKGROUND

An “Internet café” is a place in which Internet access may be provided,and in which food and beverages may be served. Some Internet cafés aresimpler and may provide only Internet access to their customers.Typically, an Internet café may contain a number of computers, aprinter, and perhaps a scanner.

Some cafés provide a network of computer terminals with WWW (World WideWeb) on-line access; single and/or multi-user computer games;high-quality audio entertainment; a range of email and news supportsoftware; a document/image scanning and editing system; a printingsystem; and dial-in telephone connections to the Internet from outsidethe café.

Within Internet cafés, it has become increasingly necessary to providesome level of IT (Information Technology) support such as, for example,an individual who is available to help users. Currently, in Internetcafés, it is often difficult to get immediate attention and help forservices. This is because, in this environment, there are generally fewservice personnel to serve many PC users (e.g., greater than 100) in alarge space. Typically, in Internet cafés, when users need IT or someother service, they must personally search for an IT specialist orwaiter or attempt to get the attention of such service personnel, whichdiminishes the quality of the Internet café experience.

In an attempt to solve the problem, some Internet cafés have increasedthe size of their service staffs.

Others have installed built-in telephone networks, providing a separate,standard telephone at each Internet café table or desk. A computer usermay use the telephone to dial the number of an IT support person, torequest service and/or assistance.

Also, some Internet cafés have installed a ring-call system, in which abutton is built into each Internet café table. An Internet café customermay press the button, thus audibly and/or visibly signaling to servicepersonnel that the customer desires service.

However, these known solutions, which require additional servicepersonnel and/or dedicated request-entering equipment, are expensive andoften ineffective.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the inventive subject matter may be best understood byreferring to the following description and accompanying drawings, whichillustrate such embodiments. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 depicts a schematic diagram of an electronic service environmentaccording to an embodiment of the inventive subject matter;

FIG. 2 depicts an example terminal in the system according to anembodiment of the inventive subject matter;

FIG. 3 depicts different possible screen views on a second display of auser terminal in a system according to an embodiment of the inventivesubject matter;

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of one or more methods according to anembodiment of the inventive subject matter;

FIG. 5 depicts a flow diagram of one or more methods according to anembodiment of the inventive subject matter; and

FIG. 6 depicts a block diagram of an article according to variousembodiments of the inventive subject matter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description of some embodiments of theinvention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form apart hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration, but not oflimitation, some specific embodiments of the invention. Theseembodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilledin the art to understand and implement the inventive subject matter, andit is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and thatmechanical, structural, electrical, functional, and/or proceduralchanges may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of thedisclosure. Such embodiments of the inventive subject matter may bereferred to, individually and/or collectively, herein by the term“invention” merely for convenience and without intending to voluntarilylimit the scope of this application to any single invention or inventiveconcept if more than one is in fact disclosed. The following detaileddescription is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and thescope of embodiments of the invention is defined only by the appendedclaims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claimsare entitled.

FIG. 1 depicts a schematic diagram of an electronic service environmentaccording to an embodiment of the inventive subject matter. System 100may comprise an “electronic service network”, which may also be referredto herein as an “electronic service environment”. An “electronic serviceenvironment” may assume different forms, such as an “Internet café”. Asother examples, an “electronic service environment” may be an electronicclassroom (e.g., a classroom in which computer-related and/orcomputer-based skills are taught) or an electronic office (e.g., anorganization of any size and at any hierarchical level whose membersutilize computer-based applications). In an “electronic serviceenvironment”, a plurality of individual user stations are coupled to anetwork that is served by one or more administrators who wait forservice requests from users and respond to such requests by assistingusers.

System 100 may comprise a network 112, which may be operatively coupledto one or more Internet café user terminals 102, 104, 106, and 108, andto at least one service console 110. An Internet café user terminal 102,104, 106, and 108 may be a fully functional personal computer (“PC”), orit may be a café-provided user terminal, console, or chassis to which acafé user's computer may be operatively coupled.

The at least one service console 110 may be a fully functional PC, or itmay be less than a fully functional PC. A service console 110 maycomprise one or more electronic modules, including a motherboard (notshown), and various additional electronic boards and/or modules (notshown), including a network board (not shown) to couple the serviceconsole 110 to a network, such as network 112. Service console 110 mayalso include a display 114, a plurality of keys and/or keyboard (notshown), and a pointing device (not shown). In an embodiment, display 114is a touch-screen display.

FIG. 2 depicts an example of a terminal 200 in the system 100 (refer toFIG. 1), such as user terminals 102, 104, 106, 108 in the system 100,according to an embodiment of the inventive subject matter. Terminal 200may comprise a main housing 214 containing a plurality of electronicmodules, such as a rotating-media memory module 216, aVoice-Over-Internet-Protocol (“VOIP”) module 212, a motherboard (notshown), and various additional electronic boards and/or modules (notshown), including a network board (not shown) to couple the terminal 200to a network, such as network 112 (FIG. 1). Terminal 200 may alsocomprise a keyboard (not shown), such as a standard PC keyboard, and apointing device such as a mouse (not shown).

A dedicated switch 202, such as a button-type device or other device,may be built into the main housing 214 of terminal 200. Dedicated switch202 may be operable by a user to transmit a user service request to aservice console, such as service console 110 (FIG. 1). In an embodiment,dedicated switch 202 is used only for this purpose.

A visible indicator 204 (such as a light-emitting diode (“LED”) or lightbulb) and/or a sound transducer 206, such as one or more loudspeakers,may also be provided to communicate any desired service statusinformation to the user terminal 200. Visible indicator 204 and/or soundtransducer 206 may be activated by service console 110 (FIG. 1) uponreceipt of the user's service request, for example, to provide anacknowledgement to the user that his or her request has been received.

The user terminal 200 may have a main display 208, and it may also havean auxiliary or second display 210 (e.g. an LCD display). In anembodiment, either or both the main display 208 and the second display210 are touch-screen displays. The main display 208 may displaycomputer-based activities that may be characterized as the primaryactivities of interest to the user, such as electronic mail, computergames, scanning documents or visual media, downloading and uploadingvisual and/or audio media, and other computer-based activities.

The second display 210 provides for visual communication between theuser terminal 200 and the service console, for purposes other than theuser's primary activities, such as to order food, beverages, or otheritems or local services, such as IT assistance or table service, asexplained further below. Also, inclusion of an optionalVoice-Over-Internet-Protocol (“VOIP”) module 212 permits the user tocommunicate with the IT personnel through audible communication. VOIPmodule 212 may include suitable microphone and loudspeaker elements (notshown).

Embodiments of the inventive subject matter create a novel paradigm forelectronic service environments. This new usage model includes auser-friendly and low-cost electronic service network.

In an embodiment, the electronic service network may include a built-inservice switch (e.g., a button) on a personal computer (“PC”),interactive visual and/or audio communication, and Internet protocol(“IP”) network functions. Some features of the electronic serviceenvironment include the following.

1) A user may call for help (one-button call), simply by pushing adedicated service button or switch 202 to thereby send a request for ITservice or another type of service to the service console, so long asthe user PC's power cord is plugged into a power outlet and the PC isconnected to the network 112 (FIG. 1). That is, this operation iscapable of functioning in S5 or S0/S3 low-power consumption states(discussed further below), and it does not require the presence of anoperational or active Operating System (“OS”). Thus, activation of thededicated switch 202 is effected either during the presence of an activeO/S or during the absence of an active O/S.

2) If an operational OS is present (i.e. booted up), then, in additionto sending a help request as in 1) above, a user may select additionalservice options through the second display 210 associated with orcoupled to the terminal 200. For example, the user may choose to orderfood, drinks, or other items and/or services. In this mode, the user mayalso choose to talk with remote service personnel through VOIP module212.

3) Whether an operational OS is present or not, or if the PC is in S5 orS0/S3 low-power consumption states, visible indicator 204 on theterminal 200 may provide the user visual feedback to indicate that theservice request has been received by the service console and will beprocessed. Thus, the activation by the service console 110 (FIG. 1) ofthe visible indicator may occur independently of a state of the userterminal (102, 104, 106, 108, FIG. 1 or 200, FIG. 2), wherein the stateof the user terminal is S5 low-power consumption mode or S0/S3 low-powerconsumption mode.

In a typical PC, an Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (“ACPI”)enables at least six modes of low-power consumption:

Active (S0) Computer is fully powered ON

Standby (S1) Hard drive and video card are idle

Sleep (S2) Hard drive, video card, and central processing unit (“CPU”)are idle

Suspend (S3) ALL devices are powered down; information in random accessmemory (“RAM”) is maintained with nominal charge

Hibernation (S4) Data in memory is copied to the hard drive hibernationfile, and the computer is powered down

Power OFF (S5) Computer is fully powered OFF

S1 is the simplest energy-saving state, often used in older systemswhose drivers or hardware won't behave well with more sophisticatedlevels of power management. A system at the S1 power level simply shutsdown the hard drive(s) and monitor, but it leaves everything elserunning normally.

S2 offers greater power savings than S1, because it not only powers downthe monitor and drives, but it also cuts power to the CPU and its cache.

S3 is a deeper power savings mode that shuts down almost everythingexcept for a trickle of power needed to maintain the contents of RAM andto listen for a wake-up command.

S4 is fundamentally different from levels S1 to S3. It is a hibernationmode, where the system stops all activity. But S4 is also different fromthe simple power-off of level S5 because, before powering down, the S4hibernation system writes the contents of RAM and some CPU settings to aspecial file on the hard drive.

S5 is the highest power savings mode, representing a complete power-off,such as that achieved by a shut-down command.

FIG. 3 depicts different possible screen views 301-304 on a seconddisplay 210 of a user terminal 200 (FIG. 2) in a system 100 (FIG. 1)according to an embodiment of the inventive subject matter. When a userpushes a button or switch 202 (assuming the OS is currently active) ofthe user terminal 200, the second display 210 may turn on and display acustomer service menu, an example of which is shown in screen view 301.From this screen 301, the user may obtain IT service and/or order foodand/or drinks and/or other items. In this example, the second display210 may display three different menu options: IT service ortroubleshooting, a food menu, and a drink menu. The user may select fromthe menu options in any suitable manner, including touching thecorresponding portion of the screen, pointing with a pointing device,and depressing one or more keys on a keyboard (not shown).

“Suitable”, as used herein, means having characteristics that aresufficient to produce the desired result(s). Suitability for theintended purpose can be determined by one of ordinary skill in the artusing only routine experimentation.

By selecting the IT service or troubleshooting menu (screen view 302),the user may choose to talk with the IT personnel or ask the ITpersonnel to come to the user's location. If the user chooses to talkwith the IT personnel, a communication channel is set up, using VOIP forexample, to connect the user terminal 200 (FIG. 2) to the serviceconsole 110 (FIG. 1).

By selecting the food and drink menu (screen view 303), the prices ofvarious food and drink items in the Internet café are displayed. Theuser may then order the food and/or drink items on-line or choose tocall a waiter to place an order. If an order is placed on-line, aconfirmation may be provided (screen view 304).

Embodiments set forth in this disclosure may be applied to devices andapparatus other than a personal computer such as, for example, aportable device such as a laptop computer, a wireless communicator or ahand-held device such as a cellular phone, personal digital assistant,and the like.

The system 100 (FIG. 1) can provide voice contact between an Internetcafé user and a service administrator, using built-in VOIP module 212(FIG. 2), and the system 100 can further provide a visible indicator204, so that users may receive convenient and interactive service inInternet cafés. Because elements of the inventive subject matter may beintegrated into the PC system itself, compared with other solutions (forexample, a separate telephone system or ring-call system), the cost ofimplementing a system incorporating the inventive subject matter may beless. Thus, embodiments of the inventive subject matter may provide aninexpensive and user-friendly solution for IT services in electronicservice environments such as Internet cafés.

A one-button selection by the user can bring up an E-commerce menu on asecond display 210 (FIG. 2) on the user terminal 200. The user canconveniently and visually order items by navigation buttons (suitablylocated, e.g. on the terminal 200) or by touch-screen locations onsecond display 210, without interrupting other computer-based activitiesbeing displayed on the main display 208.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of one or more methods 400 according to anembodiment of the inventive subject matter. Such one or more methods mayinclude detecting the activation of a response-entry device (e.g. aone-button device or switch) at a user terminal (401). The activation ofthe response-entry device may be independent of other functioning of theuser terminal.

The one or more methods may further include sending a signal to aservice console via a network operatively coupling the user terminal tothe service console (402). The signal may be sent upon a user'sactuation of a dedicated built-in switch of the user terminal, and itmay include information concerning the power state of the user terminal(e.g. S0, S1, S2, S3, S4, or S5); information concerning the physicallocation of the user terminal within the Internet café or otherelectronic service environment; information concerning thebasic-input-output-system (“BIOS”) status of the user terminal; and/orinformation concerning the O/S status of the user terminal beingoperated by the user.

The one or more methods may further include sending a further signal,such as a service status signal, from the service console via thenetwork to the user terminal that activates a visible and/or audibleresponse device at the user terminal (403). A first service statussignal may serve to inform the user that a service administrator at theservice console has received the user's service request. A secondservice status signal may inform the user that the user's servicerequest is ready to be completed or satisfied, or has already beensatisfied. The service console's activation of a visible and/or audibleindicator at the user terminal may occur independently of otheroperation of the user terminal, so the user may continue to engage innormal computing activities without interruption.

Additional types of service status signals may be provided, e.g. toinform the user about other aspects or status of the user's servicerequest. For example, a flashing light may indicate that the user'sservice request is about to be delivered, and a non-flashing or solidlight may indicate that the service request has already been delivered.As another example, if a visible response device flashes three times (oran audible response device makes three successive sounds), this mayindicate that the user's service request will be satisfied inapproximately three minutes. As another example, lights of differentcolors could be utilized. For example, a red light could indicate aproblem or delay with the user's service request; a yellow light couldindicate that satisfaction of the user's service request is imminent;and a green light could indicate that the user's service request hasbeen satisfied.

Following 403, the one or more methods may end.

FIG. 5 depicts a flow diagram of one or more methods 500 according to anembodiment of the inventive subject matter. Such one or more methods mayinclude detecting, at an Internet café service administration console,the activation of a dedicated switch by an Internet café user (501).

The one or more methods may further include activating a first usernotification signal or service status signal (e.g. a visual and/oraudible signal) at the user's location to indicate receipt of a servicerequest made by the user (502).

The one or more methods may further include, upon satisfaction of theuser's service request, the console activating a second usernotification signal or service status signal (e.g. a visible and/oraudible signal) at the user's location (503).

Additionally, the one or more methods may further include, in responseto detecting the activation of the dedicated switch in 501, enabling avoice over Internet protocol (“VOIP”) audio and/or visual connectionbetween the console and the user's location (504), enabling the userterminal 200 (FIG. 2) to communicate with the service console 110 (FIG.1).

Following 504, the one or more methods may end.

The operations described herein are just exemplary. It should be notedthat the individual activities shown in the flow diagrams do not have tobe performed in the order illustrated or in any particular order.Moreover, various activities described with respect to the methodsidentified herein can be executed in serial or parallel fashion. Someactivities may be repeated indefinitely, and others may occur only once.Various embodiments may have more or fewer activities than thoseillustrated. Although the flow diagrams of FIGS. 4 and 5 show an “End”,they may be performed continuously if desired.

One of ordinary skill in the art will understand the manner in which asoftware program can be launched from a computer-readable medium in acomputer-based system to execute the functions defined in the softwareprogram. Various programming languages may be employed to create one ormore software programs designed to implement and perform the methodsdisclosed herein. The programs may be structured in an object-orientatedformat using an object-oriented language such as Java or C++.Alternatively, the programs can be structured in a procedure-orientatedformat using a procedural language, such as assembly or C. The softwarecomponents may communicate using a number of mechanisms well known tothose skilled in the art, such as application program interfaces orinterprocess communication techniques, including remote procedure calls.The teachings of various embodiments are not limited to any particularprogramming language or environment. Thus, other embodiments may berealized, such as that illustrated in FIG. 6, described below.

FIG. 6 depicts a block diagram of an article 600 according to variousembodiments of the inventive subject matter. Examples of suchembodiments may comprise a computer, a memory system, a magnetic oroptical disk, some other storage device, or any type of electronicdevice or system. The article 600 may include one or more processor(s)601 coupled to a machine-accessible medium such as a memory 602 (e.g., amemory including an electrical, optical, or electromagnetic conductor).The medium may contain associated information 603 (e.g., computerprogram instructions, data, or both) which, when accessed, results in amachine (e.g., the processor(s) 601) performing the methods disclosedherein. In an embodiment this may include detecting, at an Internet caféservice administration console, activation of a dedicated switch by anInternet café user, activating a first visible or audible signal toindicate receipt of a service request made by the user, and, in responseto detecting the activation of the dedicated switch, enabling a voiceover Internet protocol connection between the console and the locationof the user.

The Abstract is provided to comply with 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b) requiring anAbstract that will allow the reader to ascertain the nature of thetechnical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that itwill not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of theclaims.

In the foregoing Detailed Description, various features are occasionallygrouped together in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamliningthe disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted asreflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments of the subjectmatter require more features than are expressly recited in each claim.Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter liesin less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus thefollowing claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description,with each claim standing on its own as a separate preferred embodiment.Individual claims may encompass multiple embodiments of the inventivesubject matter.

Although exemplary implementations of the inventive subject matter havebeen depicted and described in detail herein, it will be apparent tothose skilled in the relevant art that various modifications, additions,substitutions, and the like can be made without departing from thespirit of the inventive subject matter, and these are thereforeconsidered to be within the scope of the inventive subject matter asdefined in the following claims.

1. Apparatus comprising: a terminal to couple to a network having aservice console, wherein the terminal includes a main display and asecond display, wherein the second display is physically separate fromthe main display; a dedicated switch for use only to transmit a servicerequest to the service console; a visible indicator to receive a servicestatus signal from the service console, wherein the visible indicator isphysically separate from the main display and the second display; aVoice-Over-Internet-Protocol (“VOIP”) module; at least one processor;and an operating system to be executed by the at least one processor;wherein a status of the operating system may be either active orinactive; wherein the visible indicator is to be activated by theservice console in response to an activation of the dedicated switch;wherein the terminal is to communicate with the service console via theVOIP module; wherein the VOIP module is activated in response toactivation of the switch if the operating system status is active; andwherein the service console's activation of the visible indicator is tooccur even if the at least one processor is fully powered down and theoperating system status is inactive.
 2. The apparatus according to claim1, wherein the main display is to display information unrelated to theservice console, and wherein the second display is to display aplurality of menu options, a selection of one or more of which is to betransmitted to the service console.
 3. The apparatus according to claim2, wherein the plurality of menu options includes at least one ofinformation technology service, food-ordering service, anddrink-ordering service.
 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, whereinthe service status signal comprises an acknowledgement of receipt of theservice request by the service console.
 5. The apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein the service status signal comprises a notification ofthe service request being completed.
 6. The apparatus according to claim1, wherein the terminal comprises a housing, and wherein the dedicatedswitch is built into the housing.
 7. The apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the visible indicator comprises a light.
 8. The apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the visible indicator comprises alight-emitting diode.
 9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein thededicated switch comprises a button-type device.
 10. The apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the service console's activation of thevisible indicator is to occur independently of other operations of theterminal.
 11. A system comprising: a network; an Internet café serviceconsole coupled to the network; a plurality of café-provided terminalscoupled to the network, wherein at least one of the terminals comprisesa main display and a second display, wherein the second display isphysically separate from the main display, a dedicated switch operableto transmit a user service request to the console, at least oneprocessor, and an operating system to be executed by the at least oneprocessor, wherein a status of the operating system may be either activeor inactive, wherein the at least one terminal further comprises avisible or audible indicator, wherein the visible or audible indicatoris physically separate from the main display and the second display,wherein the console is to activate the indicator upon receipt of theuser service request, wherein the at least one terminal further includesa Voice-Over-Internet-Protocol (“VOIP”) module, wherein the at least oneterminal is to communicate with the service console via the VOIP module,wherein the VOIP module is activated in response to activation of theswitch if the operating system status is active; and wherein the serviceconsole's activation of the indicator is to occur even if the at leastone processor is fully powered down and the operating system status isinactive.
 12. The system according to claim 11, wherein at least one ofthe main display and the second display comprises a touch-screendisplay, wherein the main display is to display information unrelated tothe service console, and wherein the second display is to display aplurality of menu options, a selection of one or more of which is to betransmitted to the service console.
 13. The system according to claim11, wherein the at least one terminal comprises a housing, and whereinthe dedicated switch is built into the housing.
 14. The system accordingto claim 11, wherein the visible or audible indicator comprises a light.15. A method of operating an Internet café system comprising acafé-provided terminal and an Internet café service administrationconsole, wherein the terminal includes a main display to displaycomputer-based activities of primary interest to a user; a seconddisplay to display customer service menu items, the second display beingphysically separate from the main display and comprising touch-screenlocations; a Voice-Over-Internet-Protocol (“VOIP”) module, wherein theterminal is to communicate with the service console via the VOIP module;at least one processor; and an operating system to be executed by the atleast one processor, wherein a status of the operating system may beeither active or inactive, the method comprising: detecting, by theservice console, activation of a dedicated switch on the terminal by anInternet café user; and activating, by the service console, a firstvisible or audible signal on the terminal to indicate receipt of aservice request made by the user, wherein the service console'sactivation of the indicator is to occur even if the at least oneprocessor is fully powered down and the operating system status isinactive.
 16. The method of claim 15 further comprising: the consoleactivating a second visible or audible signal on the terminal toindicate status information regarding the service request.
 17. Themethod of claim 16 wherein, in detecting, the second signal is activatedby a visible light on the terminal, wherein an intermittently flashinglight indicates that the service request is to be satisfied soon, andwherein a non-flashing light indicates that the service request has beensatisfied.
 18. The method of claim 15 further comprising: in response todetecting the activation of the dedicated switch, displaying thecustomer service menu items on the second display of the terminal. 19.The method of claim 18 wherein, in displaying, the customer service menuitems comprise choices corresponding to categories of food, beverages,information technology services, and Voice-Over-Internet-Protocol. 20.An article comprising a machine-accessible medium having associatedinstructions, wherein the instructions, when accessed, result in aprocessor performing: detecting, by an Internet café serviceadministration console, activation of a dedicated switch on an Internetcafé-provided terminal by an Internet café user, the terminal comprisingat least one processor, and an operating system to be executed by the atleast one processor, wherein a status of the operating system may beeither active or inactive; activating, by the service console, a firstvisible or audible signal on the terminal to indicate receipt of aservice request made by the user, wherein the service console'sactivation of the indicator is to occur even if the at least oneprocessor is fully powered down and the operating system status isinactive; and in response to detecting the activation of the dedicatedswitch, enabling a Voice-Over-Internet-Protocol (“VOIP”) connectionbetween the console and a location of the user, in response to detectingthe activation of the dedicated switch.
 21. The article of claim 20wherein, in enabling, the VOIP connection is enabled to thecafé-provided terminal.
 22. The article of claim 20 wherein detectingcomprises receiving information from the group consisting of powerstate, physical location within the Internet café,basic-input-output-system status, and operating system status of acomputer being operated by the user.